The numbers that determine whether your nursery survives or thrives.
By Ruth — Nursery Director, Business Coach & Founder of Resourceful Ruth
I didn’t open my first nursery knowing how to read a P&L. I learned the hard way that passion, Ofsted ratings, and even full registers don’t protect you from financial collapse. What protects you is knowing your numbers.
In over a decade of owning, operating, and turning around nurseries, I have identified five numbers that separate the nurseries that thrive from the ones that quietly struggle.
These are the five key numbers that reveal the financial health of your nursery. They help you understand whether your setting is profitable, sustainable, and positioned to grow, or whether there are hidden pressures that need urgent attention.
This guide is designed to give you practical clarity, not more confusion. It breaks down each number in a simple and useful way, so you can understand what to calculate, what to look out for, and what action to take next.
Understand what each number means, why it matters to your nursery, and how it affects the overall health of your setting.
See what healthy numbers can look like, spot warning signs early, and understand when your nursery may be moving into a risk zone.
Follow simple step-by-step calculations that help you work out each number clearly, even if finance is not your area of expertise.
Get a practical next step for each number, so you know what to review, what to improve, and what action to take with confidence.
By the end, you will know exactly what to calculate, what the benchmarks are, and what to do if yours are in the danger zone.
Once you have reviewed the guide, Ruth can help you understand what the numbers mean for your nursery and what to do next.
Helping childcare providers, women entrepreneurs, and business owners build clearer, stronger, and more profitable businesses.
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